Justice ministers have made personal appearances to give their backing to virtual courts and ‘live link’ communications between police stations and magistrates’ courts. Nick Herbert (pictured) and Jonathan Djanogly visited a police station in North Kent and a court in Chester last week to see the video technology in use.

The Ministry of Justice said that live link, which allows police officers to give evidence remotely, has saved more than 100 hours of police time in 24 cases.

By contrast, defence solicitors claim the system creates problems for those at court.

Herbert said live link frees up valuable police time and resources to enable officers to carry out frontline duties. Djanogly said of virtual courts: ‘Not only do they enable quick resolution of cases, they also save time as defendants do not need to be transferred between prison and the court.’

However Greg Stewart, defence representative on the London implementation committee for the virtual court, said the initiatives created problems. The police still need to address fully the issue of how officers exhibit live evidence, such as their notebooks, when they are physically not present, Stewart said. ‘The live link has little to do with what is in the interest of justice and everything to do with police management.’